Strength
by Fatepaw
Summary: ONESHOT RainXSwallow Just about Swallowtail falling alsleep on the wrong side of the cave and her love for a Thunderclan warrior.


This is about the lovely Swallowtail and Rainwhisker romance…The only relationship that made sense in TNP, besides Flightlesssquirrel and Brambleclaw.

I yawned as I made my way towards the cave that held Riverclan. We were heading for a new home, but for now we lived in the caves that held a large tribe. Stormfur explained to us how Feathertail died in the cave and the thoughts have haunted me ever since. Feathertail had been my greatest friend when we were apprentices and that connection had followed up until she left on the journey to find Midnight. While Feathertail was gone I became friends with Stonestream. He kind of comforted when my brother was put into exile for taking a loner mate, which the other clans never about since Riverclan thought it best not to speak of it. Although, I never actually got over the fact. Stonestream is one of the kindest toms I've ever met and I want to stay with him for forever. My ears turned hot at the thought of forever with the gray warrior.

With my sleepy yawn I took a left turn when I came to the tunnel that spilt up Thunderclan's and Riverclan's cave. Watching my sleeping clanmates, I found a gray tom's form and settled next to him. He the love of my life and not even Starclan could change that. Giving the tom's ears a lick of gentle care, my striped head found a place on the strong tom's flank. "I love you." I breathed before smelling his scent of woodland. Woodland? Why would Stonestream smell of the woodland…? That was my last thought before drifting to sleep.

"Would you mind getting off of me?" A voice came to my thoughts. It was strong and awkward. Stonestream shouldn't be this awkward I mean we mated once during the time of journeying, this however didn't result in kits to my relief. Opening my eyes, I found the soft blue eyes staring at me with a confused look. Then I panicked. Stonestream's eyes were amber not _blue._ Sitting up I noticed that I was in Thunderclan's cave and the tom I had been sleeping next to was Rainwhisker, one of Whitestorm's sons.

"Oh my Starclan!" I almost yelled, but a gray tail slipped over my maw before I could. The scent of his fur had been so inviting that I leaned into its aroma. "I'm so sorry; I thought this was Riverclan's cave and I uh…" This was so embarrassing for me and probably him too since his clanmates saw us together and then…I would be like my brother. Turning to look away, I could feel a flush of heat rush to my ears and cheeks. I've never felt this way even when I thought about my forever with Stonestream. My eyes glanced over the cave of Thunderclanners and it seemed that none of them were awake which meant I could just forget about this and go back to Stonestream before anyone else wakes up, but a needing to stay with Rainwhisker stayed. A sharp laugh erupted from the gray tom as he saw me panicking at the sight of him. Glaring at him with mint eyes I noticed how carefree he was with this whole thing. The Thunderclan tom cracked me up and with my soft chuckle joined his. I didn't understand why, but I felt free just as I did with the river back in the old territory.

Falling down on my back, I couldn't remember the last time I laughed this hard and for no reason whatsoever. Then only my fit could be heard and I stopped. This Thunderclan warrior smiled at me and a light sparked in his eye. "Want to go hunting with me?" He asked me as I got to my feet. I wasn't even sure if he knew my name, but I wanted to hunt with this tom. Twisting around, I began to walk out of the cave, and stopped when I came to the entrance before seeing a disappointed face on the gray tom's face. A light smile came to my face.

"You coming or do I have to hunt alone?" My soft voice teased him. Before I knew he was charging towards me and I raced out of the tribe's cave. No one was awake and the moon was still up gleaming and meeting mine and Rainwhisker's fur. My brown tabby fur shined in the light's rays and Rainwhisker looked like a silver cat with a heavenly blue gaze. His strong build was so different compared to my lean and thin figure. His short legs, mine long, broad face, lanky face, and beast to well not a beauty by anyone's standards. This tom's walk was silly and mine was calm and collected. We were so different and each of us was made for our own territory. Another smile appeared on my face as I padded along side of him.

"What's your name?" He asked trying to be nice. Eyeing him with misty pools I blinked and looked up towards the sky. Should I tell him, or keep it a secret from him? Mystery had always been fun for me. Then his next sentence came. "It must be real pretty because you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen from either world, Starclan or the forest." Yep, he thought he was dreaming of this whole thing… An unneeded desire came from my soul; I wanted to tell him my life story about my brother and everything. He was the only cat to think I was a beauty from Starclan. Stonestream never talked about it, but I knew how he wished to be with someone other than me because I was just plain to him. I knew I was a plain looking feline, but Rainwhisker thought I was pretty.

"Erm, I'm not actually a Starclan warrior yet, and I think I want to keep my name closed until I know you better…" I mewed. The tom nodded in understanding before continuing our walk. We walked along in silence for a long while before I said anything. "I come from Riverclan, and my brother is a loner along with his mate. He was exiled for loving outside of the Warrior Code. Elmheart was his name and he was the only cat that I got along with besides Stonestream who thinks I'm plain-looking." I blurted out. Rainwhisker stood stunned by my sudden out burst. Having the need to keep talking continued. "Stonestream doesn't hold the desire I do for him, but I think he pitied when he mated with me, and we haven't mated since that time which was like two moons ago, so he doesn't want to touch me." Where did that come from? Rainwhisker was making me spill everyone of my thoughts and I loved it as embarrassing as it was.

"Then-"A tail wrapped around my shoulders and the touch was simple, yet so loving. "Shut up." He growled in annoyance. "I don't want to hear about you mating with some tom that sees you as some flea bag and will hump the next newest thing." The warrior snarled as he turned to face me. His soft blue pools had hardened hearing me discuss my relationship with Stonestream, or what he would probably call it, a bootie call. "Stonestream has some other mate anyway since he always talks about Brook from the tribe." ((Yes, I don't like Brook and I think Stormfur would be better off with Tawnypelt.)) Realization hit me in the gut like a snake bite. Stonestream had been eyeing that tribe she-cat for awhile now…

Tears fell from my eyes hearing the truth in Rainwhisker words. They seemed so final. I stared at the ground. This was the very first time I cried. Thoughts of my brother and Stonestream came in and out of my mind, and the pain began to pile up. Leaning to my left, I felt fur press against mine and I turned to see Rainwhisker standing strong for my sake. He was a Thunderclan cat, and yet he was being my protector. How I wanted to bury my nose in his fur, and I did. Seconds passed where we were only cats in the world.

My tears finally stopped and I turned to look at the warrior before me. "Thank you, Rainwhisker. I really needed this…" I purred to him. "No problem, Swallowtail." He said my name when I hadn't even told him. Eyeing him with unspoken curiosity he answered. "Do you remember when you were a six moon old kit and you traveled across the river and met another apprentice? Well, that was me." I stood confused; I didn't remember that, but he must be telling the truth. Then thoughts of a gray apprentice carrying me across the river came to mind, and I licked his cheek. "Thank you, Rainwhisker. I guess you always save me from myself." She smiled. The rest of the night we talked and laughed about nothing and everything, and that morning I broke it off with Stonestream saying he could hump anyone, but me. Rainwhisker had given me the strength I needed for life.

When we finally got to the new territory I knew I couldn't continue my relationship with Rainwhisker since a Thunderclan and Riverclan relationship never worked. There was Silverstream and her lover, Greystripe, then Oakheart and his love, Bluestar. At the first Gathering in the new territory I broke it off and knew I'd never fall in love again… I didn't and during the first leaf-bare I found out Rainwhisker died when he was going through Shadowclan. No one knew why he was going through Shadowclan territory, but I knew…I knew he was coming to see me, to see if we could work things out. Now I lay here in the elder's den thinking of what we could have been. If only I had another chance to do this with Rainwhisker, I wouldn't hesitate. I miss him so much and don't know what to do without him, so I die without love of the tom that gave me strength…((Swallowtail dies, but the love isn't over.))

A brown tabby she-cat climbed the log to the island. This was her very first Gathering since she was a six moon old apprentice. She was shaking with excitement. Leaping from the log she saw a gray tom sitting alone. He looked lonely so she padded over. Her dark tabby fur shone in the moonlight and her mint colored pools filled with light and hope of a friendship with this lonely tom. "What's your name?" She mewed in a cheery voice. The gray tom turned his head towards the pretty she-cat his blue eyes clouded with mystery and a sense of old desires. "Rainpaw. Your's?" He said giving her a smile. "Swallowpaw. It's a pleasure to meet such a handsome tom." The Riverclan she-cat purred. This meeting would began a lovers' romance of secrets and beauty…

((Starclan decided to give Rainwhisker and Swallowtail another chance…))


End file.
